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Extra Help 2025

Medicare beneficiaries can qualify for Extra Help to help pay for their monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and Medicare prescription drug copayments.

What is it?

Extra Help, or Low-Income Subsidy, is a federal program that can help you pay for your monthly premium and prescription medications.

Payments

It could lower your monthly plan premium.

Payments

It could lower your medication copayments and coinsurance.

Savings for HMSA Akamai Advantage plans (PPO)

Savings for HMSA Akamai Advantage Dual Care (PPO D-SNP)

Medicare will let us know if you qualify so we can apply the subsidy to reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Learn more at the Social Security Administration website at ssa.gov.

Do I qualify?

Your eligibility and the amount you save will be based on your income and assets. Higher income and resource limits apply in Hawaii as compared to the Mainland. Many people qualify and don’t even know it.

What counts as income?

  • Wages or earnings from jobs or self-employment.
  • Income from pensions, annuities, and benefits, such as from Social Security, the Railroad Retirement Board, and Veterans Affairs.
  • Alimony.
  • Rental income.
  • Workers’ compensation.
  • Unemployment.
  • Disability.

What counts as assets?

  • Bank accounts such as checking, savings, and certificate of deposit.
  • Investments such as stocks, bonds, savings bonds, mutual funds, and individual retirement accounts.
  • Any other cash.

Your home is not counted as an asset if you own it and live in it.

See if you qualify  

How do I apply for Extra Help?

You can apply online at socialsecurity.gov/medicare/prescriptionhelp. Or call 1-800-772-1213. For TTY, call 1-800-325-0778.

You can also ask Social Security to send you a paper application, or you can schedule an appointment to apply at your local Social Security office.

If you qualify for QUEST (Medicaid), you may automatically qualify to get Extra Help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage. To apply for Medicaid, contact the state Medicaid office (Med-QUEST Division) at 1-800-316-8005. For TTY, call 808-692-7182.

Questions? Call us.

Seven days a week: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
808-948-6000
1-800-660-4672
TTY users, call 711

Email: akamai@hmsa.com

HMSA Medicare Advantage
P.O. Box 860
Honolulu, HI 96808-0860

If you qualify

Medicare will let us know about your LIS eligibility so we can apply it to your drug plan benefits.

If the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services don’t notify us about your eligibility, please show us your award letter from the Social Security Administration, called Best Available Evidence, and we’ll apply your Extra Help so you can start saving right away.

Learn more  

Premium and drug costs

Low-Income Subsidy can help pay for your Medicare premiums and medication copayments and coinsurance.

View 2025 premium summary chart

HMSA Disclaimer

  • HMSA Akamai Advantage® is a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in HMSA Akamai Advantage depends on contract renewal.